For the uninitiated, Rahul Dravid’s uber-cool and calm figure broke a mask and unleashed unfiltered aggression for the first time in a cheeky television commercial in 2021, shortly before he took over as the Indian team’s head coach. However, streaks and flashes of Dravid’s combative persona were witnessed during his final stretches as a player on the field.
Dravid’s former IPL teammate Ajinkya Rahane recalled how he calmed down his fiery senior with a joke while the former India captain was involved in a heated exchange with former Australia and Mumbai Indians pacer Mitchell Johnson in an IPL 2013 match.
Opening the batting for the Rajasthan Royals alongside Rahane in a clash against the Mumbai Indians, skipper Dravid faced off against the aggressive Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson in the first over. After playing out three consecutive dots, Dravid opened up the scoring with a clean off-drive boundary.
Johnson soon resorted to exchanging words with the India veteran, rekindling a tense interaction from their previous meeting. The confrontation soon escalated as both players became heated, with Dravid’s uncharacteristic response.
Watch: Dravid and Johnson’s 2013 exchange in the clip below
Dravid responded to Johnson’s aggression initially with a slew of angry words and followed up with a trademark, wristy flick for a four in Johnson’s next over. Dravid then stunned the crowd, cupping his hands to his ear and challenging Johnson to continue the sledging.
“Opening with him at Rajasthan Royals felt reassuring. I was settling into my role as an opener and even in the fast-paced nature of T20 cricket he carried himself with such calm. During so many partnerships we had in that period, I actually also saw the not so calm side of Rahul bhai once when Mitchell Johnson had tried to say a few words to him! I jokingly told him in between the overs ‘Rahul Bhai, aap dedo isko bindaas, let them see this side of yours’ and he started laughing,” wrote Rahane in a LinkedIn post.
Rahane also recalled his special T20I debut for India two years prior to the Johnson incident, alongside a 38-year-old Dravid in England. In his only appearance for India in T20Is, Dravid made a memorable cameo, clubbing three consecutive sixes off Samit Patel before falling on 31 in 21 deliveries.
“I still smile thinking about it: Rahul bhai hitting three sixes in that innings and enjoying his batting even after scoring tons of international runs. To share that moment with him was special, because it showed me that even legends are willing to step out of their comfort zones,” Rahane recounted in his post.
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